1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to a control system for an automotive air conditioner which can automatically control the conditioning parameters (active state) thereof depending upon the thermal environment in the vehicular cabin. More specifically, the invention relates to an air conditioner system in which the user can further adjust the conditioning parameter(s) while the system performs its automatic operation.
2. Description of The Prior Art
Automatic air conditioner systems which automatically control the thermal environment in a vehicular cabin so as to establish a required thermal environment in accordance with a cabin temperature preset by a vehicle occupant are well known in the art. The thermal environment of the vehicle cabin is determined by a cabin temperature detected by a cabin temperature sensor installed in the vehicular cabin, the magnitude of insolation detected by an insolation sensor installed on the vehicular body, an ambient temperature detected by an ambient temperature sensor installed on the vehicular body, and so forth.
Such automatic air conditioner systems are described in Japanese Patent First (unexamined) Publications (Tokkai Sho.) Nos. 56-116513 and 57-130813. These systems include a voice interactive control unit which comprises a microcomputer and which announces a set cabin temperature by voice and adjusts the set cabin temperature in response to a spoken command by a user without operating a lever, dial or the like.
However, this system is not capable of fine adjustment according to the subjective opinion of the user, that is, if the user feels "too hot" or "too cold" under a particular thermal environment, he/she must quantify his/her feeling as a set cabin temperature on the basis of his/her past experience and manually or vocally input a quantified cabin temperature numerically. For example, if the present set cabin temperature is 25.degree. C. and the actual cabin temperature is about 25.degree. C., the user may reset the set cabin temperature to 23.5.degree. C. if he/she feels "slightly hot", or reset the latter to be 20.degree. C. if he/she feel "very hot". In such systems, a user unaccustomed to the operation of such an air conditioner system can not easily communicate a desired temperature to the system.